Pittman rejects calls for security grants in Anne Arundel budget, disappointing some groups

A visit to Congregation Kneseth Israel, a synagogue on Spa Road in Annapolis, means walking past bright blue bollards in front of doors and stained glass windows.

It means checking in with a security guard and waiting for someone with a key card to unlock doors. It means noticing security cameras all over the place.

JD “Jody” Goldsmith, president of the synagogue, said the congregation has spent about $90,000 on guard services in the last year. “The building is being reinforced and strengthened, in every which way,” Goldsmith said.

Amid rising reports of antisemitic incidents, it’s become routine for area synagogues to spend tens of thousands of dollars per year on security measures, said Goldsmith, also president of the Jewish Federation of Annapolis & the Chesapeake.

The group has been lobbying Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman to include money in his budget for security grants for faith-based groups and other organizations “vulnerable to hate crimes.”

During a March 19 meeting, Pittman told the group that money would not be included in this year’s budget. Pittman said in his April 24 newsletter that he took the decision seriously and he’d follow up with groups to learn more about their security needs.

“A future county executive may see things differently, but I believe that the focus of our county work to protect synagogues and other vulnerable institutions should remain with our Police Department and Hate Crimes Prevention Program,” Pittman, a Democrat who is not seeking reelection this fall due to term limits, wrote in the newsletter.

Reports of antisemitism and political violence are on the rise in the United States. Pittman called it a “national epidemic” in his newsletter, adding, “as is hate against African Americans, Muslims, immigrants, and the LGBTQ+ community. All of these groups have enhanced security measures in the last year and a half.”

There were six reported Jewish victims of hate bias incidents last year in Anne Arundel County, compared to one such victim in 2024 and two in 2023. As of March 18, there was only one reported Jewish victim in 2026.

The debate over security comes against the backdrop of recent wars in the Middle East. More than 1,200 people in southern Israel were killed in a surprise attack by Hamas-led militants on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel responded by bombing and later launching a ground offensive in Gaza, where the health ministry says more than 72,300 Palestinians have been killed since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

In recent months, the U.S. and Israel have attacked Iran, and Israel has responded to an attack by Iran proxy Hezbollah with air strikes and an invasion of southern Lebanon.

Goldsmith and others said they started spending money on enhanced security before Oct. 7, 2023, but could not remember exactly when.

Other jurisdictions in Maryland have provided money to defray the costs of security measures for faith groups and nonprofits. Montgomery County just awarded $1.7 million in grants to about 100 organizations. Howard County implemented a program in 2024, and so did the District of Columbia.

In Anne Arundel, the Jewish Federation asked Pittman to implement a program through which groups could apply for up to about $40,000 in matching funds for security improvements, said Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, the group’s co-founder and secretary.

It would have been open to nonprofit groups and faith organizations too, she said.

“We wanted to show we would put our own money into it. Which we obviously are,” Mizrahi said.

Goldsmith said he was “abysmally disappointed” by Pittman’s decision.

“And surprised, because I believe it is penny-wise and pound-foolish for not just Jewish organizations but for all faith-based organizations and nonprofits at risk,” he said.

Joe Toolan, the former chair of Annapolis Pride, worked with Mizrahi and others in advocating for a county-funded security program.

“I feel very strongly that these types of grants, they not only benefit religious groups but groups that organize around identities that are being targeted by the federal administration,” Toolan said.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly attacked LGBTQIA people, including seeking to ban transgender Americans from the military and shutting down a hotline for LGBTQIA youth at risk of suicide.

Toolan said the cost for security, or installing security cameras, can get high — so any government support would have been welcome.

“You can’t really put a price on people feeling safe in our county,” he said.

Howard Salob, president at Congregation Kol Shalom, also in Annapolis, said the “political climate” around the world is bad and referenced a rising tide of antisemitism.

The congregation spends $80,000 to $100,000 annually on security, Salob said. That includes security for its weekday preschool program.

“It’s a big dent in our budget. Let’s put it that way,” he said.

The synagogue always has maintenance issues, Salob said, and it has had to put off building renovations because of growing security costs.

But “safety is more important right now,” he said.

For the Jewish Federation, though, Pittman’s budget proposal, set to be introduced Friday, is not the end of the story. Goldsmith said the organization intends to advocate for a nonprofit security grant program in future budgets.

“We’re going to be pushing like crazy for this to happen,” Goldsmith said. “It’s the right thing to do.”